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Bretscher takes down record as Buckeyes move into second
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nationally-ranked Ohio State men's swimming and diving team moved up to second-place after day two of the 2009 Big Ten Men's Swimming and Diving championships held at the Boilermaker Aquatic Center on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
"It was a very good night for us overall," Bill Wadley, head men's swimming coach, said. "Having somebody in the finals in every race was great and I am thrilled with how we performed tonight. We're in a decent position and have one last big day ahead of us tomorrow."
The 200-yard medley relay started the night off right with the Buckeyes finishing third. The team of Andrew Elliott, Felipe Travesso, Andrew Bretscher and Joel Elber finished in an NCAA "B" cut time and new school record 1:26.42.
Bretscher took seventh in the 100 butterfly in a "B" cut time of 47.43. His time of 46.71 in preliminary round bested teammate Chuck Allison's record set earlier in the season. Allison scored points for the Buckeyes in the event, finishing 11th (47.72).
In the 100 breaststroke, junior Sam Pelkey earned Second Team All-Big Ten with a second-place finish in a "B" time of 53.77. During the preliminary round, Travesso set a new school mark when the senior topped his own record with a time of 53.67. He ended up finishing fourth in the event with a finals time of 53.80.
The 800 freestyle relay closed out the evening and saw Ohio State take second in a "B" time of 6:25.72. The team of senior Jacob Busch, junior George Markovic, senior Matthias Sigrist and junior Andrew Olson broke the school record set last season by over three seconds.
Buckeye divers had a great night on the three-meter springboard. Junior Burkley Showe earned Second Team All-Big Ten after finishing second with a score of 424.10. Sophomore Sean Moore followed in third with 422.90 points.
In the 400 individual medley, sophomore Justin Farra set a personal-best time in a "B" time of 3:50.06 and finished sixth. Freshman Andrew Elliott had a big night, finishing eighth in the 100 backstroke in 48.44. His time of 48.18 in the preliminaries was a career-best and an NCAA "B" time.
"For Andrew (Elliott), it was great experience for him to swim in the finals as a freshman," Wadley said. "I'm also proud of Justin (Farra) and this will build up his confidence."
Five other Buckeyes scored points in the 100 backstroke. Itai Chammah took ninth (48.44), Markus Sievers was 11th (48.92) and Phil Seleskie finished 12th (48.94). Elber was 14th in 49.02, while Bretscher took 16th (49.51).
Also scoring points for Ohio State in the 100 breaststroke were Elliott Keefer in 10th (54.51) and Daniel Malnik in 12th (54.89). Markovic and Olson picked up points in the 200 freestyle, taking 11th (1:35.94) and 15th (1:37.17), respectively.
Michigan still holds the lead with 588.5 points. Ohio State sits in second (357.5), with Minnesota (344), Purdue (330) and Indiana (285.5) rounding out the top five.
The Buckeyes conclude the meet on Saturday evening.